Cote d'Ivoire's President Laurent Gbagbo reaffirms
that "2010 will be the year of elections" in his country, promising that "everything is ready" for the holding of the presidential vote which has been postponed several times since 2005.
"For us, for Cote d'lvoire, 2010 will not be an ordinary year. It will be a year of very
important events that will change our history and our way of life, it will be the year of a
general elections," Gbagbo declared in his New Year speech broadcast on national television.
According to the president, "Ivorians are waiting for these elections in order to put an
end to an unfortunate situation that was brought about by the civil war" and "to bring about
normal electoral cycle and institute regular and democratic functioning of institutions."
"Our partners are equally waiting for these elections in order to intensify their cooperation
with Cote d'lvoire," he added.
The elections are very important also because they will bring to an end "the succession
crisis" that Cote d'lvoire suffered after the death of president Felix Houphouet Boigny in 1993, with the 1999 coup d'etat and the September 2002 war, Gbagbo told his nationals.
The forthcoming elections, he said, will lead to an "end of getting power through inheritance or coup d'etats and end to a culture of a one party rule."
"Everything has been prepared to ensure that elections are held in 2010," he noted,declaring that the "most crucial and delicate stages in the electoral process were behind."
The president recalled having signed orders in relation to the issue of the military in the
Ouagadougou political accords.
With the mediation of Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore, the rival sides have signed four peace agreements in Ouadougou to pave the way for the widely expected elections to lead the West African country out of the political crisis and
end its de facto division.
The peace deal covers the harmonization of the ranks of the ex- rebel New Forces (FN)and loyalists, the opening of zones which were initially under the control of the FN, the
deployment of officers of the integrated command center (CCI) to the central, northern and western zones for purposes of offering security during the electoral process without forgetting the joint brigades (rebels and loyalists).
After the voter identification and registration operation, which involved 6.5 million
nationals, the process entered the stage of resolving contentious issues over the electoral list.
About 1.03 million people are being targeted pending the long- awaited vote. Originally planned for 38 days after its launch on Nov. 24, the cross check was adjourned to Jan. 6 with 250,000 cases handled out of the 350,000 complaints reported to the independent electoral commission.
The commission has reiterated that this deferment will not have any effect on the election
date already set between late February and early March.